Table having adjustable top sections



Aug. 18, 1953 F, ARNOLD 2,649,206

TABLE HAVING ADJUSTABLE TOP sETIoNs Filed NOV. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N V EN TOR. FRED/alc 4R/vo 4 D JJM/C @maf 14 Troia/VEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. ARNOLD TABLE HAVING ADJUSTABLE TOP SECTIONS Fla. 2

:l o 1| f.\ at To Fl e 3 JNVENTOR. FRFDR/c ,4R/vm@ A TTo RN EY Aug. 18, 1953 Filed Nov. 28. 195o Aug. 18, 1953 F. ARNOLD 2,649,205

TABLE HAVING ADJUSTABLE TOP SECTIONS Filed Nov. 28, 1950 5 Sheet's-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. FRED/:fc ARP/OL D HTTORNEY Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE TABLE HAVING ADJUSTABLE TOP SECTIONS 6 Claims.

This invention relates to tables having adjustable top sections.

In many cases, it is desirable to have available a table having multiple functions, as, for instance, a table which may, at one time, serve as an ordinary table, at other times as a bar or refreshment buffet, and on other occasions, as an end table for the display of ornaments and the like. It is an object of the invention to provide a table of the character indicated, of simple structure, which is capable of being adjusted into any one of various relationships with ease, and wherein the parts are capable of being manufactured cheaply, and yet be of sturdy construction, and capable of being assembled easily.

A table construction of this type may comprise a table top made of a plurality of separating sections, wherein means are provided to support the sections so that they may be moved with relation to each other to various positions, where these sections may function as shelves, or may be aligned into a single table top. It is an object of the invention to provide, in a construction of this type, simplified means for locking the sections in the various positions into which they may be adjusted, and means capable of actuation in a very simple manner for releasing such locking means.

It is an object of the invention to provide mechanism for performing the results enumerated, wherein the parts are capable of manufacture from bar or sheet metal stock, by simple stamping and drilling operations.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth hereinafter, or will be apparent from the description and the drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment of a construction for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction, or any particular arrangement of parts, or any particular application of any such construction or arrangement of parts, or any specific method of operation or use, or any of the various details thereof, even where specically shown and described herein, as the same may be modified in various particulars, or may be applied in many varied relations, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, of which the exemplifying embodiment, herein shown and described, is intended only to be illustrative, and only for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the statutes for disclosure of an operative embodiment, but not to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied,

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which is disclosed such a practical construction:

Fig. v1 is an end elevational View of a table embodying features of the invention, different positions of the table top sections being shown in dash and dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the table shown in Fig. l, the table top sections being shown in aligned position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the manner of assembly of the bars with the frame;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view, to enlarged scale, of portions of the locking mechanism to retain the table top sections in position, the parts being shown separated from the table top;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 4, a part of the table top being shown broken away;

Fig. 6 is a detail cross-sectional View, substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, illustrating the arrangement of the parts when the table top sections are located in one of the positions out of alignment, the table top section being shown broken away;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, the parts being shown moved away from the engaged relationship of Fig. 6 to permit movement of the table top sections to another position; and

Fig. 8 is a detail end view, illustrating the manner in which the latching mechanism is operated to disengage and engage for the aligned.

position.

On the drawings is illustrated a table l0 embodying features of the invention. For certain purposes, a base, provided for the table, may take the form of a frame l2 which may be composed of a plurality of tubular members lli, I6, i8, and 20. Members H and I6 may be substantially identical, being substantially inverted U-shaped, and being positioned to form end uprights for the table.

Members IS and 20 are oppositely identical, being bent to provide legs 22 above which they are then bent into a number of angular bends 24. Each complete bend 24 forms a side recess 2B for its member. The walls 28 are brought into association, when members I8 and 20 are located side by side, so that the now contiguous walls may be secured together in any desired manner, as, for instance, by riveting. Legs 30 of members i4 and I are abutted against legs 22 of members I8 and 2), and, in that relationship, are riveted together.

In this manner, end recesses 32 are delined. I When table l0 finally is set up and in use, recesses 3 and 32 provide for the reception of the knees of persons sitting at the table.

U-shaped members l5 and I6 extend upwardly above the top extent of members I3 and 20, which terminate at the level of bends 2d. Each crossarm 32 of the U has a tubular piece 35 riveted thereto to provide additional thickness. On the bridges il formed by cross-arms 34 and pieces 35 are pivotally supported pairs of arms 38 and dll. Each arm 38 is pivoted upon a cross-arm 3d of one of the members l5 and i6, and is longer than the other arm 22 associated therewith. Each arm Mi is provided a pivot in one of the pieces 36. Thus, arms 38 and @D are pivoted to bridges 4| at points spaced apart both horizontally and vertically suficiently so that, as shown in dot-anddash lines in Fig. 1, the arms, when table sections 42 and ft2 are positioned in alignment, will be positioned one above the other, substantially parallel to each other, but slightly spaced apart from each other. The pivots for the arms are constructed to facilitate smooth movement of the arms, and the sections and members carried thereby. A riveting construction has been found simplest for this purpose, that is, rivets d, with suitable washers |58 for spacing and to reduce friction, are used to hold the bars in position, as shown in Fig. 3.

Arms 38 have openings 50 adjacent their ends; arms l0 have similar openings; through each opening is projected a member, such as a screw 52, to engage in the sidewall of the adjacent section 42 or d2. Washers may be used to facilitate freedom of movement in pivoting the sections on screws 52 which thus form xed pivots. Opene ings 5B are equidistantly spaced on each side of, and all are in line with, the central pivots of arms 38 and lli?. Also, the points of engagement of screws 52 for the arms with sections 22 and ed are such that they are maintained substantially horizontal and parallel to cross-arms 32 as the sections are moved to any position in the manner to be described.

Each arm 38 has an extension 55 bent slightly from the straight line of the aligned openings in the main body of the arm. Adjacent the end of extension 54 is fixed a pin 55 which projects from the arm inwardly, so that, in certain relationships to be described, it will be juxtaposed to the immediately adjacent portion of section Mi so that it may be in position to engage in one of openings 58 and 52 in a plate 52. This plate, by means of a pin Ell received in openings 66 in a pair of ears 68 bent from the plate, and aligned openings 7D in a pair of ears l2 struck from a plate '14, is pivotally mounted on plate 12. Plate 'it is secured to the bottom of section d4 by suitable fastening means, such as screws or the like. Pin 64 carries a spring 'i5 to bear against plates E2 and 'M to move plate 62 normally to a substantially vertical position, the end wall T8 of plate 62 engaging against face 85 of plate 74 to limit movement at that position.

Another pair of ears 82 may be struck from plate 62; extrusions 8d are formed on these ears so that, when pressed toward each other, they provide a pivot for a link 86 which extends over to be engaged pivotally by similar extrusions 88 in a pair of ears 9S struck from a lever arm 92. Arm 92, provided a pivot 94 upon plate I4 by means of a screw and washer or other suitable means, may move within the guide provided by a finger 96. This finger, struck outl from plate 14, provides a stop to limit movement of arm 92 under the action of spring 16 in one direction;

posed with one advanced from suitable means, such as a screw S8 iiXed to the bottom wall of section 4, may provide a stop to limit movement of arm 92 under the action of a. link |65 engaged in opening |02 in arm 92. Link Ill extends to a plate |04 carried upon guides |35 xed in position, as, for instance, upon a wall |08 extended downwardly from the bottom face of section 44.

Since the mechanism including arm 92 is duplicated at each side of section M, it follows that, as plate |84 is engaged by the hand of an operator and pressed toward wall 58, arms 92 will be moved against the resistance of springs it. Simultaneously, plates 62 will move away from pins 56 on extensions 54, as shown in Figs. and 8, and release the parts from interlocked engagement, to permit sections |42 and IM to be moved to another position. Such new position may be one where pin 55 engages in another of openings 58 and 60, or it may be to a position where the extending end ||0 of arm 92 engages against a cam face H2 of a strike plate H. Plate |12 may be a part of or otherwise constructed to extend from a base l5 which in turn is secured upon the bottom face of the other section 42 by any suitable means such as screws. Arm 92, as sections E12 and 44 move relatively to each other, is cammed along face l l2 until it can enter slot i6. By this time, the person manipulating the sections will have released plate ll; end Il@ will become engaged in the slot under the action of spring i5. When this occurs, sections i2 and ill will have arrived at an aligned relationship to form a single table top, as shown by dot-and-dash lines in Fig. l. In order that end faces |22 and |22 of the respective sections 42 and lll may move into this position, as shown in Fig. l, end face i22 of section di may have a slight angle away from the vertical. Thus, edge |24 of section @2 will glide past face |22 until the sections are locked in the aligned relationship. To release sections 42 and '15 from the aligned relationship, the same plate its is actuated, pulling arm 92 out of engagement with slot ||8 of plate H4.

In the position shown by iull lines in Fig. l, the two sections may be disposed in superimposed relationship, when pins 56 are engaged in openings 58; or the table sections may be disthe other, but still one above the other, as when the pins are engaged in openings 5t, as shown by dash lines in Fig. 1.

It can easily be understood that a larger number of openings may be provided, and. thus a larger number of positions to which the sections may be adjusted. Also it can be seen that, by bending extension 54, the lengths of plates lil and 62 may be reduced, to produce a greater compactness of construction. The end edges |26 of plate @i2 are provided with bevelled portions I2=8, forming cams for pins as the plates and pins move into engagement with each other as sections l2 and l2 are moved to their several positions.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of operation set forth, and in the specic details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention defined in the claims, the specific description being merely of an operative embodiment capable of illustrating certain principles of the invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. Table structure comprising a plurality of table top sections, uprights for the table structure, a pair or" arms pivotally mounted on the uprights at each end of the table structure and pivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a member pivotall7 mounted on one of the` sections, means on an arm and the member for interengagement to lock the section in a position to which the sections have been adjusted, and means for releasing the retaining means, the releasing means including means for holding the sections against separation when the sections are positioned immediately adjacent each other.

2. Table structure comprising a plurality of table top sections, uprights for the table structure, a pair or arms pivotally mounted on the uprights at each end of the table structure and ivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a plate pivotally mounted on one of the sections for movement toward and away from a position substantially parallel to an arm, means on said arm and the plate for interengagement to lock the Sections in a position to which the sections have been adjusted and the plate is positioned substantially parallel to its related arm, and means for moving the plate out of the substantially parallel relationship, the moving means including means for holding the sections against separation when the sections are positioned immediately adjacent each other.

3. Table structure comprising a plurality of table topsections, uprights for the table structure, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the uprights at each end of the table structure and pivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a plate pivotally mounted on one of the sections for movement toward and away from a position substantially parallel to an arm, resilient means for causing the piate normally to move toward the substantially parallel position, means carried on the plate and the related arm for interengagement to lock the sections in a position to which the sections have been adjusted and the plate is positioned substantially parallel to its related arm, and means for moving the plate out of the substantially parallel relationship, the moving means including means for holding the sections against separation when the sections are positioned immediately adjacent each other.

4. Table structure comprising a plurality of table top sections, uprights for the table structure, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the uprights at each end of the table structure and pivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a plate pivotally mounted on one of the sections for movement toward and away from a position substantially parallel to an arm, resilient means for causing the plate normally to move toward the substantially parallel position, means carried on the plate and the related arm for interengagement to lock the sections in a position to which the sections have been adjusted and the plate is positioned substantially parallel to its related arm, and means for moving the plate out of the substantially parallel relationship.

5. Table structure comprising a plurality of table top sections, uprights for the table structure, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the uprights at each end of the table structure and pivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a plate pivotally mounted on one of the sections for movement toward and away from a position substantially parallel to an arm, resilient means for causing the plate normally to move toward the substantially parallel position, pin and slot means on the plate and the related arm for interengagement to lock the sections in a position to which the sections have been adjusted, and means for moving the plate to separate the pin and slot.

6. Table structure comprising a plurality of table top sections, uprights for the table structure, a pair of arms pivotally mounted on the up-rights at each end of the table structure and pivotally connected with the sections so that the arms are substantially parallel, a plate pivotally mounted on one of the sections for movement toward and away from a position substantially parallel to an arm, resilient means for causing the plate normally to move toward the substantially parallel position, pin and slot means on the plate and the related arm for interengagement to lock the sections in a position to which the sections have been adjusted, means for moving the plate to separate the pin and slot, the moving means including a pivoted bar, and means carried by the other section for cooperation with the bar to hold the sections against separation when the sections are moved to a position to denne a substantially continuous surface.

FREDRIC ARNOLD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 970,071 Mautner Sept. 13, 1910 1,733,029 Plant Oct. 22, 1929 2,110,466v Louis Mar. 8, 1938 2,146,413 Aron Feb. 7, 1939 2,406,436 Peter Aug. 27, 1946 2,454,575 Silene Nov. 23, 1948 

